Ride for Their Lives
Donation protected
Friends - I know this is a bit of lengthy read, but I hope that you will stick with me.
As you know, I arrived in Europe in October of last year without too much of a plan - ride my bicycle, see Europe, maybe meet some family. All that changed when a friend contacted me and told me to come to Lesvos, help was needed. I did not realize then that I did not realize then that this would be a life-changing decision and I would still be in Europe nine months later.
Since that time, I have met so many of the brave and desperate people that are coming to Europe fleeing war and persecution with dream of finding safety and rebuilding something for their families. One night at 3 am, we assisted as a dinghy made its way to shore. We helped dozens of men, women, and children out of their raft. I helped a young Syrian man, a kid really, out of the dinghy. His name was Bashar and we became Facebook friends right there. I was so surprised to see a post on his page, “I truly thank Matt and all his friends for their sincere and humane efforts. We will never forget them, and we will always remember their heroic actions.” I have truly become a part of an incredible network of volunteers from all over the world. Through sheer determination and an unbelievable commitment to humanity, we have persevered through countless changes to asylum policies, local rules, and open and closed borders. As governments and politicians continue to fall short in their responsibilities to our fellow humans, volunteers have mobilized and worked tirelessly to fill in the gaps. We have rescued, fed, clothed, sheltered, and provided medical attention for countless refugees. Without these volunteer groups, the loss of life in the last year, which is already staggering, would have been many, many times worse.
After all these months in Turkey and Greece, I’ve come to realize that our volunteer networks will be needed now more than ever. The need for subsistence supplies and shelter will not be going away and efforts to help families gain independence will be crucial. I also now know how difficult it can be for a large NGO to break some rules and just deal with a situation… that’s why our small groups are invaluable. So, Friends, I’m going to be sticking around for a while and I hope that you will help me make my efforts here even more impactful!
On June 16, in solidarity with the refugees, I will be embarking on a “Ride for their Lives” fundraiser. My goal is to raise $5000. My solo bicycles journey will take me from Istanbul, Turkey, through Bulgaria and end in Thessaloniki, Greece. It will cover 1,200 km, that’s 745 miles for my American friends! Although grueling, this ride will give me some time to reflect on what I have been able to accomplish here and prepare for volunteering in Thessaloniki.
To make my volunteer work here as effective as possible, I would love your support! Donations will be used primarily for two key initiatives. First, in Thessaloniki, I will be volunteering and supporting InterVolve, a group that is providing meals, clothing, medical support and asylum guidance to the refugees in the camps. Second, we will support the Tohum Foundation in its effort to get displaced families back on their feet in Turkey. Sometimes, something as simple as providing the tools for an artisan or teaching a single mother a new skill can rebuild independence, remove vulnerability and provide the funds needed for a child to get back to school. Lastly, as the only thing that seems to be constant here is change, I would like to raise funds to support other independent initiatives as they arise to meet the needs of the refugees.
I hope that you will join me on this journey. Every act of kindness does make a difference. Together, we can restore hope as we pray for peace.
Thank you.
As you know, I arrived in Europe in October of last year without too much of a plan - ride my bicycle, see Europe, maybe meet some family. All that changed when a friend contacted me and told me to come to Lesvos, help was needed. I did not realize then that I did not realize then that this would be a life-changing decision and I would still be in Europe nine months later.
Since that time, I have met so many of the brave and desperate people that are coming to Europe fleeing war and persecution with dream of finding safety and rebuilding something for their families. One night at 3 am, we assisted as a dinghy made its way to shore. We helped dozens of men, women, and children out of their raft. I helped a young Syrian man, a kid really, out of the dinghy. His name was Bashar and we became Facebook friends right there. I was so surprised to see a post on his page, “I truly thank Matt and all his friends for their sincere and humane efforts. We will never forget them, and we will always remember their heroic actions.” I have truly become a part of an incredible network of volunteers from all over the world. Through sheer determination and an unbelievable commitment to humanity, we have persevered through countless changes to asylum policies, local rules, and open and closed borders. As governments and politicians continue to fall short in their responsibilities to our fellow humans, volunteers have mobilized and worked tirelessly to fill in the gaps. We have rescued, fed, clothed, sheltered, and provided medical attention for countless refugees. Without these volunteer groups, the loss of life in the last year, which is already staggering, would have been many, many times worse.
After all these months in Turkey and Greece, I’ve come to realize that our volunteer networks will be needed now more than ever. The need for subsistence supplies and shelter will not be going away and efforts to help families gain independence will be crucial. I also now know how difficult it can be for a large NGO to break some rules and just deal with a situation… that’s why our small groups are invaluable. So, Friends, I’m going to be sticking around for a while and I hope that you will help me make my efforts here even more impactful!
On June 16, in solidarity with the refugees, I will be embarking on a “Ride for their Lives” fundraiser. My goal is to raise $5000. My solo bicycles journey will take me from Istanbul, Turkey, through Bulgaria and end in Thessaloniki, Greece. It will cover 1,200 km, that’s 745 miles for my American friends! Although grueling, this ride will give me some time to reflect on what I have been able to accomplish here and prepare for volunteering in Thessaloniki.
To make my volunteer work here as effective as possible, I would love your support! Donations will be used primarily for two key initiatives. First, in Thessaloniki, I will be volunteering and supporting InterVolve, a group that is providing meals, clothing, medical support and asylum guidance to the refugees in the camps. Second, we will support the Tohum Foundation in its effort to get displaced families back on their feet in Turkey. Sometimes, something as simple as providing the tools for an artisan or teaching a single mother a new skill can rebuild independence, remove vulnerability and provide the funds needed for a child to get back to school. Lastly, as the only thing that seems to be constant here is change, I would like to raise funds to support other independent initiatives as they arise to meet the needs of the refugees.
I hope that you will join me on this journey. Every act of kindness does make a difference. Together, we can restore hope as we pray for peace.
Thank you.
Organizer
Matthew Elias Sheppard
Organizer
Montréal, QC
